Sabbatical Leave Scheme
Opportunity for social service professionals to recharge and continue making a difference.
Last updated 1 August 2026
Overview
The Sabbatical Leave Scheme offers social service professionals a chance to rejuvenate with 10 weeks of paid leave, including salary support of up to $15,000. This opportunity is available for Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists, Psychologists, Counsellors, and EIPIC teachers.
Requirements
After completing your sabbatical, you may be asked to mentor junior professionals in your field. You must also:
Conduct a sharing session within your organisation.
Submit a written report to your employer and NCSS.
This helps ensure knowledge sharing and benefits the sector as a whole.
Eligibility & criteria
Professional qualification: To be eligible for the scheme, you must meet specific professional qualifications based on your field.
Social Workers: Registered with the Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board.
Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Speech Therapists: Full/restricted registration with the Allied Health Professions Council.
Psychologists: Registered with Singapore Psychological Society (SPS)
Counsellors: Registered with the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC)
EIPIC Teachers: Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Intervention (Special Needs).
Professional experience: You must have a minimum of five years of direct work experience in your respective professional field within the sector at the time of application.
Employment status: You should be employed in an NCSS sector member organisation or a Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)-funded organisation.
Bond status: You must not currently be serving any bonds.
How to apply
The agency can submit the application via the OurSG Grants (OSG) (opens in new tab) portal.
Before applying, it is advisable to discuss your proposed sabbatical plans with your current employer. Please note that incomplete applications will NOT be processed.
Applicants can only proceed with their leave after application outcome is made known and accepted programme addendum via OurSG portal.
Submission timeline
Application deadline and application outcome date
Application submission date | Application outcome date |
31 March | 15 June |
31 July | 15 October |
30 September | 15 December |
30 November | 15 February |
Contact
For more information, please contact NCSS_Grants@ncss.gov.sg (opens in new tab) or refer to the FAQ [PDF, 20.3 KB] (opens in new tab).